Although I don’t bounce like I used to, I am recovered from whatever I did to myself when I fell in the bathroom. Now I’m back to whatever I’ve had for the past 10 years or so. In the absence of fractures or other potential mishaps, chronic pain never felt so good.
That means I’m back on the golf tour this week. I also want to get back to swimming and light weights. I visit the physical therapist Monday and will see what she thinks. For the most part, golf has not made my lower back pain worse, but I’m not so sure about the other two. Still, I refuse to lay flat on my back if I have a choice, so that’s that. Onward and upward.
I’m more conscious about calcium since the osteoporosis business. I do eat dairy and lots of other calcium-rich foods, but I decided to add canned sardines to my rotation. Dale has been eating them for years. I like them, especially on a Triscuit!
Do you eat sardines? I would love to hear more ideas – how to enjoy them best, any particular brands or seasonings you like. I’m not afraid to throw some money at a premium product. Although Dale is even more of a food snob than I am, sardines are sort of his bachelor food, and he just buys whatever he sees first.
I do believe back pain is sometimes connected to our emotions, so I’ve been trying to deal with my anger about the pandemic. I tell myself, yes, I am angry it was politicized. It did not have to go down this way. I’m angry with the people who won’t get vaccinated. I’m angry we’re going back to masks again. I’m angry that it looks like this thing will drag on forever.
But that anger does not make my back hurt! My back is strong. I can do anything I want.
At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
I finally read Victim 2117, the latest in Jussi Adler-Olsen’s Department Q series featuring Carl Mørck. I started it a couple of times but didn’t get too far. Sometimes it takes me a while to get into his books, but when I do, I love them. This one was excellent – quite the dramatic backstory of Carl’s sidekick, Assad.
As I was Googling the book so I could copy and paste the slashed o in Mørck, I discovered there are Department Q movies! Has anyone seen them? Looks like some are available on Amazon. I’ve been re-watching Outlander. I had already burned through the final season of Bosch and needed a complete distraction.
We had to cancel our trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park due to fires in the area. If it’s not one thing, it’s two. Or three. Or four.
For a little while, it felt like we had turned a corner on the virus and life was becoming whatever passes for normal these days. But it looks bad out there. In our zip code, 77 percent have been fully vaccinated, and 84 percent have at least one dose. Yet our positivity and case rates are higher than you’d expect.
Most of those testing positive in our area are between the ages of 18-49. While we’ve all been reading about breakthrough cases, I would assume most aren’t vaccinated. I can’t fix that, so I tell myself to just roll with whatever I have to roll with.
And so, we turn to happy thoughts. Dinner. We have leftover grilled tri-tip and fresh corn and tomatoes from the farmer’s market. I’m making a loaf of sourdough bread, so we’ll cobble together a meal out of that. Dale is making happy hour nachos with fresh jalapeños from his garden. Cheese is medicinal.
We have a nice stash of limes, so I might make a margarita. Have you heard of ranch water? It’s a drink. I have not had one, but I was reading about them. It sounds like a fizzy margarita. Same basic ingredients topped with seltzer water. I guess the fizz of choice is Topo Chico, which I’ve also never had.
I might have to go back to the happy hour laboratory and return to you with a complete report. It’s all about sacrifice.
My husband loves sardine sandwiches. Just the sardines and sliced onion on the bread. Myself, I do not care for sardines.
On really good bread — I could see that.
Love sardines. Sometimes I mash them up with cream cheese and capers and make a spread out of them. I really would like to try a fresh sardine sometime, but I’ve never seen sardines on a menu. Have you ever had fresh sardine? Guess it’s a reason to go to Portugal.
This is a coup for us. My younger stepdaughter (age 44) came to visit and has not been vaccinated. My husband sat down with her and discussed it and ended up taking her for her first shot. She’s already planned the next one. Turns out her boss is a rabid antivaxxer, and my stepdaughter was worried about getting it and perhaps losing her job.
I love the idea of mashing them up with capers and cream cheese! I will be trying that soon. I haven’t had a fresh sardine, either. I seem to recall seeming them once or twice at Whole Foods.
Great news about your stepdaughter. I do know it’s a complicated decision for some people, and I try to be more understanding, even though my instincts are anything but.
Whatever the two of you “cobble together” for a meal translates to “fine dining” at my place.
We do eat well! Even the mistakes are pretty good.
Sardines are one of the healthiest and most sustainable fish. We make a sardine “salad”, similar to tuna salad, with good mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, minced dill pickle, minced onion (red or sweet), fresh lemon juice, black pepper. (Or you could use a good lemon pepper seasoning for a short cut). Serve with sprouted grain bread, maybe toasted, with a drizzle of olive oil.
Forgot to mention in comment above that our favorite brand is King Oscar skinless & boneless in olive oil. Drain oil before mixing the “salad”.
I like King Oscar anchovies, so that’s great! Your sardine “salad” sounds absolutely delicious. I eat a fair amount of tuna was hoping for a substitute. Thank you so much!!
I’ve followed for a while but first comment. Thanks for expressing the various emotions so many of us feel during these “interesting times”.
Thank you, Ann, for choosing to comment! I do appreciate your feedback. Interesting times, indeed.
I like the canned fish (herring, I think) in tomato sauce. Lovely on a slice of good light rye (or any rustic bread) slathered in butter.
Good to read that you are recovering. Stay safe, my friend!
Deb
Thanks! Doing my best to stay upright.
Your dinner for tonight sounds absolutely amazing (including the margherita)! I wholeheartedly agree that cheese is medicinal. And homemade sourdough bread?! Yum!!!!
Yes to medicinal cheese! I could give up meat if I had to, but cheese? No way.
Sardines are a good call, but I’m afraid I really don’t like them, so can’t help you with recipe ideas. Himself is good with oily fish and sneaks them into our diet by various means. He’s managed to get me to eat white anchovies, but I’m afraid I still prefer cheese & yoghurt in truth 😀
I think that “the situation” has caused many of us to feel tension in our – ahem – lower backs. That is certainly where I carry my stress. In terms of swimming, my chiropractor recommended front or back crawl, but not breaststroke. More to do with pelvis stability in my case, but I’m sure your physical therapist will advise.
I like calling it “the situation.” I’m glad to hear the front crawl might be OK. That’s really the only stroke I do well. I hate breast stoke anyway.
Cheese and yogurt are big parts of my diet. I actually like oily fish, so it’s easy to add.
Like Don, I’ve made sardine salad sandwiches to take to work. My husband scolded me one morning when I was making my lunch reminding me that I worked in an office not a bush camp. Not one person in the lunch room had ever complained. Meal planning continues to be a normal activity during this situation and I find it medicinal. Food shopping is the one shopping experience that I really enjoy. I wouldn’t want to be without tomatoes or cheese. Glad you’ve recovered from your injury.
Hi Mona — that’s a great story. I recall being told never to bring fish to work, even though we all did it. I brought kimchi once, and that made everyone crazy mad.
Kimchi;-)
Hard boiled eggs are another thing with strong odour.
I love Sardines and eat them on Finn Crisp with little spots of Harissa. I Never thought of making a “salad” or anything else. But the recipe sounds delicious.
Around the Mediterranean Sea you can get a plate of “Frittura mista”, Sardines and tiny Shrims fried in Olive Oil, so good.
On a Finn Crisp with little spots of Harissa — wow, that sounds great! I do miss the wonderful seafood from the Mediterranean. Frittura Mista sounds absolutely fabulous.
On our current RV trip we’ve picked up freshly canned albacore tuna, and smoked wild salmon. Both were canned on location, and we’ve been assured they will taste mind-blowingly good compared to supermarket bought. I’m planning to make smoked salmon spread with half the can, and then smoked salmon on pasta alfredo with asparagus with the remainder.
Likely a Mediterranean tuna salad with the albacore. My worry is that I won’t be able to return to store bought canned of either once we taste these two superior versions, ha!
My Dad loves sardines, but alas I could never pick up the habit. He also enjoys mayo, lettuce and peanut butter on white bread. Both likely reflections of growing up during the depression, so I don’t judge, but I don’t emulate either. 😆
Years ago, friends gave us a can of Tuna they bought in Alaska (I think) from one of those on-site canneries. It was so good, but it didn’t ruin us forever. I still like supermarket varieties, including water-packed and oil-packed. I love the idea of the canned smoked salmon on pasta. Dale puts regular smoked salmon on pizza, and I’ll bet the canned product would work great as well. Other ingredients for that pizza include a creamy white sauce, capers, red onion and smoked Gouda cheese.
I’m with you — no judgment, but no way would I eat mayo, lettuce and peanut butter together. However, we used to put a smear of peanut butter on a tuna salad sandwich or a BLT — not all bad.